The Jacksonville Jaguars have an awful lot going for them in 2026.

For starters, they have a 26-year-old franchise quarterback who was a finalist for the NFL's MVP award last season. Trevor Lawrence is just entering his prime and is also entering the upper echelon of NFL QBs. His stellar play over the second half of last year finally showed the tremendous talent that made him the top overall pick in 2021.

The Jaguars also boast one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the league. Any one of the quartet of Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, and Travis Hunter (when he plays offense) can be Jacksonville's top WR in any given game.

On defense, the Jags have Antonio Johnson, who was PFF's top-graded safety in 2025, despite not being a starter to begin the season. Johnson still managed to haul in five interceptions, tied for the second-most in the NFL.

Second-year phenom Hunter is expected to be primarily used at cornerback this year. His All-Pro-level talent at CB should provide a boost to the entire defense.

With all the high-end talent Jacksonville has spread throughout its roster, it may be difficult to project what the team's biggest strength will be in 2026.

Luckily, ESPN took care of that. A panel of Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz, and Seth Walder put their heads together to rank every NFL team's starting lineup. As a bonus, they identified each squad's biggest strength and also selected one player who will be his team's X-factor.

Jaguars' Biggest Strength

Clay was tasked with choosing what he believes to be the Jaguars' biggest strength. His choice wasn't just surprising. It was downright shocking.

Clay looked past Lawrence and the wide receivers and went with...edge rusher.

"Biggest strength: Edge rusher. Josh Hines-Allen has emerged as one of the league's top edge rushers, and 2022 No. 1 pick Travon Walker has become a quality running mate. Hines-Allen ranks 10th in the NFL with 61 sacks since he entered the league in 2019. Walker's play dipped a bit last season (primarily because of injury), but he reached 10 sacks the previous two seasons and remains in his prime at 26. Dennis Gardeck and fourth-round rookie Wesley Williams offer depth. -- Clay"

It's a stunner of a choice. Though Clay is right about Hines-Allen being one of the premier sack artists in the game, the Jaguars' ability to get to the quarterback from anyone other than JHA and Walker has been questioned all offseason.

X-Factor

After Clay's choice for team strength, Walder took over to pick Jacksonville's X-factor.

He went with Hunter, who is one of the most talented and unique players in the NFL. His ability to impact a game either offensively or defensively is unmatched by anyone else in the league.

"X factor for 2026: CB/WR Travis Hunter. His ceiling is probably an elite cornerback who also adds in the receiving game. After a disappointing, injury-shortened rookie season, there might be less optimism about him hitting that level than there was 12 months ago, but the upside is still there. Jacksonville took a big step forward in 2025, and Hunter living up to his draft stock could thrust the Jaguars into real contention. -- Walder"

Final Thoughts

Despite others wondering if the Jags' group of edge rushers may be a weakness, Clay doesn't just think they will be a strength, but Jacksonville's biggest strength.

Personally, I thought choosing Lawrence would have been a slam dunk.

It is hard to argue against Hunter as the X-factor, especially since we don't know how his time will be split between CB and WR this year. He has All-Pro potential at either spot, though his likely corner-heavy usage probably limits his ceiling as a receiver.

However, if Hunter does become an All-Pro cornerback, the Jaguars may have one of the very best defenses in the league.

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